Dan Bardell exclusive: Aston Villa lucky to have Philippe Coutinho Emi Buendia conundrum
We’re delighted to welcome The Athletic’s Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
It is a good problem for Aston Villa to have that there are two quality number 10s that the manger has to try to fit into the side, believes Dan Bardell.
The club’s record signing a year ago, Emi Buendia, has started the season well and scored in the win against Everton, while headline acquisition from Barcelona Philippe Coutinho was often preferred after he arrived last season.
Although there is a temptation to compare the two Dan Bardell feels that they are very different styles of player despite operating in a similar role, and to have two names of such a level in the Villa squad at the same time that lead to debates over who should play is a positive.
He said, speaking exclusively to Villa News: “I think the same as last season there will be times when those two play together. There’ll be times when Coutinho is on the bench and there’ll be times when Buendia is on the bench.
“Buendia got a knock in preseason, and from what Steven Gerrard’s said Buendia was winning the race to be in the team before the knock, but he go the injury and Philippe Coutinho started the season.
“Coutinho’s been quiet the first couple of games, and obviously Buendia came on against Everton and made a real impact.
“I think it’s quite key that although they are both playing the same position they are both very, very different types of players.
“Buendia’s the kind of player who’s busy, he’ll work very hard, he’ll get around the pitch, he’ll look for the ball as a number 10. Whereas Coutinho, he’s an intelligent player. He won’t go looking for the ball or go deep for it, he’ll take up clever positions further forward and hope the ball comes to him.
“Now in the first two games the ball hasn’t gone to him so he’s been quiet. It’s very easy to then think, ‘Oh Buedia’s the better player, he should be in the team’.
“I do think Buendia will be in the team at the weekend now. I think he’s made it impossible for Gerrard to try to leave him out. Because it’s away from home I think it potentially will be at Coutinho’s expense.
“There’ll be games where Coutinho comes off the bench and has an impact. There’ll be games where Coutinho starts and has an impact.
“We’re two games into the season and they are very different types of players but I do think at the moment Buendia’s earnt the right to be in the side. I thought everyone on the pitch brightened up on Saturday when he came on. I thought McGinn looked better when Buendia was on the pitch. And he’s ended up scoring the winner.
“So I think he deserves to start now. Because at the end of the day Villa over the years haven’t been blessed with options. Even the fact that we’ve got these two players and fans are discussing which one should be in the team, that’s a great thing because they’re both great players.”
Coutinho may be seen as Gerrard’s man, as a former teammate and one of the top names brought in since he became manager, whereas Argentine Buendia was signed under Dean Smith.
That may explain why the Brazilian has often been the one named in the starting line-up, but the beginning of the new campaign looks to have forced a reconsideration for now.
If there is a way for the manager to get both working together in the same XI it would surely be a positive, but as long as both can be kept happy splitting time there are surely worse problems to have.
In other Aston Villa news, Bardell believes Tyrone Mings’ position is secure again after the injury to Diego Carlos.